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Most conservative private school?
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Anonymous
What a concise and rational post. That's what we liked about Landon as opposed to STA. There are families from both ends of the political spectrum, but like another poster said, they don't live and breathe their politics 24/7. For most of them, it's their own private preference, not crucial to their profession. At some other schools, many seem to measure themselves by their degree of involvement in the political world. That is fine, but it was not the right fit for us. |
Anonymous
| This is my issue-we are extremely conservative fiscally (socially very liberal) but I hate talking politics with people in school and have noticed that when someone who is a dem figures out that I am not in their "tribe" they get weird. This is one of the reasons that I am trying to find schools where the conservatives fit in--see a lot of people assume that because you are fiscally conservative that you are super religious etc. etc.--and that is fine but it doesn't fit us. |
Anonymous
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We are also at Landon and find it to be a good fit for conservatives and liberals. No one wears their politics on the their sleeve and find very rarely do people talk politics and when they do we have found people are willing to listen to both sides.
Most people talk about their kids a lot more than politics. |
SAM2
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Could you explain that some more please? I get the socially liberal part, but I don't understand "extremely conservative fiscally." Does this mean you want to balance the budget? That you want lower taxes? That you oppose foreign tariffs? That keep all your money in gold bullion? Do you have a "I like Mike: Bloomberg for President!" bumper sticker? I'm not trying to be obnoxious. I just think "fiscal conservative" is one of those ambiguous monikers that means lots of different things to different people. And I'm not understanding how your political position on such issues could create tension at your child's school. It seems to me that most other parents wouldn't care about your opinions on these issues, and might not even really understand them. I don't know if I could tell you the fiscal policy leanings of a any parent at any school my children attend. Maybe I could guess for few parents, but I'd be estimating their fiscal leanings from where they stand on social issues (which wouldn't apply to you). I don't understand your concern. Sorry if that is a dumb question .... 
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Anonymous
Not the OP, but I have seen instances at several schools where parents speak openly on political issues with the assumption that everyone at that institution agrees with them. You may hear comments about "idiot republicans" or "bleeding heart liberals" from people who think that everyone at that school falls in one camp. The kids could care less, which is the most important thing. But it can be an unsettling feeling for some parents who either have to get over it or find a less politically oriented environment. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
| Kids are often different than their parents. It seems so many people on this thread on more worried about politics than academics. It's crazy to worry about every little possible difference. |
Anonymous
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Sounds like it's time to invoke the "L" word . . . can we all say "libertarians", boys and girls?
So what's the big deal about? Sheesh, my kids go to a school where the parent body is pretty liberal (I believe it may be the one that one PP described as "crunchy granola"), and one of our sons briefly dated a girl whose parents were libertarians. He didn't care, we didn't care, they didn't seem to care. Honestly, I don't really know how your political views would even come up in most conversations with other parents. I mean, how do you segue from "Hey, did you guys order any of the citrus fruit for the PA fundraiser -- wasn't it yummy?" to "I have no problem with abortion rights, but damned if I'm going to be taxed to support anyone's choice." And, speaking of the other "L" word, it's so interesting that the whole "2 moms" thing has become the litmus test for liberal politics (not to mention, pathetic middle-aged parental attempts at hipsterdom). We happen to know 2 couples who fall into this category -- yes, one with kids at the aforementioned crunchy granola school, and one with kids at a school considered pretty conservative -- in the suburbs no less! Let's not forget that Dick Cheney's grandbaby has 2 moms. As my very fiscally, but not socially, conservative law school study group pal used to say "when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me." |
Anonymous
I'm not the poster, but this divide is actually fairly common. You can be liberal on social issues, which are generally considered to be abortion (pro-life), death penalty (anti), gay marriage (pro). But at the same time you can be a fiscal conservative because you are worried about the fiscal deficit and the debt handed down to the next generation, which makes you anti-spending. Fiscal conservatism can take different forms: you want lower taxes (because you think with the trickle down folks that this will lead to growth), you are against redistribution (because you think welfare kills individual initiative) or you just think the government should get out of your business. I'm actually a social liberal and a fiscal liberal (I think the government has important roles to play in many areas, including redistribution). But I think the poster's own position, which may look like a divide to some, is intellectually defensible. |
SAM2
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It sounds like we agree, PP, that "fiscal conservative" is a common but not-totally-clear description. I'm not sure if OP is still around, but maybe she will clarify what it means for her. I think that might help people answer her question better. |
Anonymous
Here's how it makes a difference - I was at a dinner where a parent from one of the liberal leaning schools said that she was pleased that a family in which one of the parents worked for the Bush administration had been driven from the school because they really didn't belong there. That kind of behavior from parents can trickle down to kids as well, and especially with younger kids when parents are more involved in setting up playdates, etc. The comments stuck with me and when it came time to apply to high schools we did not apply to that school becasue we did not think we would be comfortable in that kind of environment. |
Anonymous
| There are always going to be people everywhere who are inflexible and dogmatic in their views: whether it be on liberal or conservative. I wouldn't let one or two bad apples at your DC's school impact your child's education. At my DC's "big 3" school I just avoid those folks and their drama, and if pressed, try to change the subject. Trust me, most people don't want to deal with blowhards, and a deft subject change is almost always eagerly taken up in conversation. |
Anonymous
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9:36
While I do agree with you that some schools in can be more uncomfortable not being like the majority, I do think it matters less as the kids get older especially when they reach HS. Parents are so much less involved in the day to day workings as well as planning anything socially after school or on weekends. If the kids are accepting, it really does not matter about the parents views. |
SAM2
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That's a pretty amazing story. For me at least, that raises a couple questions: (1) Was it clear that the mother at this dinner was really saying that she was happy a child of a Bush administration figure had been "driven" out of the school, because of the political leanings of the child's family? Was the child really driven out of the school for political reasons, or rather for some other unrelated reason? And was it clear that this mother was saying she's glad they're gone because of the political connection? Or rather was she just saying she's glad they're gone because they did not belong (maybe they were jerks or something), and it's you making an assumption about the political connection? I'm not trying to argue with you -- I just wasn't totally clear from your story about some of the connections/inferences between facts. If it's clear that this other mother was saying for political reasons that she's happy a conservative family was ousted from the school, then she definitely sounds like a jackass. Indeed, if that's what she meant, that's a pretty outrageous comment. (2) Do you really think it's appropriate to judge that entire school, and indeed all "liberal leaning" schools, by a ridiculous comment from one person? I might be misunderstanding you, but it seems like you're saying a fiscally conservative, socially liberal family might want to cross all schools with a liberal reputation off their lists because they might encounter liberal parents who are jackasses. That just doesn't make much sense to me. There will be offensive jackasses at every school, whether it's on political topics or otherwise. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your point. Apologies if I am. PP at 10:44 made this point more clearly and concisely than I did. I agree with her. |
Anonymous
| 9:36 -- You're telling me you made a decision about your child's education based on a single comment made at a dinner party -- probably, I'm guessing, by somebody with minimal social skills and a few drinks in him/her. That's a pretty slender reed upon which to condemn an entire parent body amd their children. If this really happened, and I have my doubts, you do know that you can simply choose to socialize with other parents, right? |